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Glasgow Rangers can now turn their attention to the upcoming summer transfer window after their 2023/24 campaign came to an end last weekend.

The Light Blues lost the SFA Cup final 1-0 at Hampden Park on Saturday, thanks to a goal from Adam Idah, and they will now be preparing for next season, in the hope of greater success on the domestic and European front.

Philippe Clement ended his first campaign at Ibrox, albeit having joined in October after Michael Beale's departure, with one piece of silverware to his name, having won the League Cup.

The Belgian boss will now be working with head of recruitment Nils Koppen to identify and sign targets to improve his playing squad over the coming months.

Brazilian left-back Jefte has already joined on a permanent deal from Fluminense to become the first addition of the window, and the Light Blues are reportedly looking to bolster their options in the wide areas as well.

Rangers interest in the £3.5m winger

The Scottish giants are said to be interested in a deal to sign experienced winger Adama Traore, not the Fulham and former Wolverhampton Wanderers one, from Ferencvaros this summer.

A recent report from Africa Foot claimed that the Gers want to improve the quality of their attacking options and have identified the forward as a target.

The outlet added that the two teams are already in advanced talks over a transfer for the 28-year-old wizard, with Rangers seemingly moving quickly to thrash out an agreement.

It stated that 'several' European teams are keen on signing the talented attacker but the Light Blues are 'close' to landing his services, which suggests that they have won the race for his signature ahead of a number of other sides.

Africa Foot also revealed that Clement and Koppen are poised to splash out a significant fee of £3.5m to Traore ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Earlier this month, Football Insider claimed that Rangers are set to hold talks with Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion over a permanent deal for Abdallah Sima.

The report added that the English team would accept an offer of around £6m for the Senegal international, who just spent the season on loan at Ibrox, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Gers are prepared to splash that kind of fee on the winger.

Clement, however, could now forget all about a permanent move for Sima this summer by securing a deal to sign Traore for £2.5m less over the coming weeks.

Abdallah Sima's season with Rangers in numbers

The right-footed star joined the Light Blues on loan from Brighton last summer after he had scored five goals in 34 Ligue 1 games for Angers last season.

It was a bit of a gamble from the club at the time as the 22-year-old whiz had not scored more than five league goals in a season since the 2020/21 campaign for Slavia Prague.

Sima, however, proved himself to be a reliable goal threat for the Scottish side throughout the campaign, for both Beale and Clement, with a return of 16 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions.

The second half of his season was, though, blighted by injury issues as the forward missed 20 competitive matches with a hamstring injuries between January and April.

Appearances

25

Starts

17

Goals

11

Big chances missed

6

Conversion rate

15%

Shots per game

2.9

As you can see in the table above, 11 of the strikes from the talented forward came in the Scottish Premiership, despite him starting just 17 games.

Those 11 goals came from an xG of 10.04, an overperformance of 0.96, and this shows that the gem was a fine finisher who did not miss many high-quality opportunities to find the back of the net.

He also plundered three goals, from 2.0 xG, in three Europa League outings for the Light Blues, which shows that the Brighton loanee has the quality to step up in Europe as well.

These statistics show that the 6 foot 2 dynamo provided Clement with a regular goal threat from the wide areas, and that is why he could be a good signing on a permanent deal this summer.

However, the Belgian head coach could now forget all about Sima by landing a cheaper alternative who could end up offering more in the final third.

Why Rangers should sign Adama Traore

Firstly, Traore is reportedly set to cost the Scottish giants a fee of £3.5m this summer and this means that he is £2.5m cheaper than the £6m it would supposedly taketo snap the Brighton forward up.

This means that Koppen and Clement could save £2.5m from their budget by landing the Ferencvaros star to bolster their options out wide, and invest that money into other players, potentially in other positions of need.

The Mali international, who journalist Bence Bocsák once hailed as "superb", has been a terrific operator for the Hungarian outfit since his move to the club in the summer of 2022, with a fantastic return of 32 goals and 16 assists in 73 matches.

This means that he has averaged a goal or an assist every 1.52 games for Ferencvaros, which comes after the forward averaged one every 1.49 outings for FC Sheriff with 25 goals and 16 assists in 61 appearances.

Appearances

13

25

Sofascore rating

7.35

7.29

Goals

8

11

Minutes per goal

99

147

Conversion rate

27%

15%

Key passes per game

1.3

0.8

As you can see in the table above, Traore scored more frequently than the Rangers forward at league level this season, with one strike every 99 minutes on average.

The 28-year-old star, who scored six goals and provided four assists in six Europa Conference League qualifiers this term, has recorded 16 assists for Ferencvaros since the start of last season, whilst Sima has managed 13 assists in 131 career appearances.

This suggests that the £3.5m Rangers target could provide a significantly greater threat as a creative force for the club on the left flank, whilst also having the potential to score more frequently than the Senegal international.

Rangers are "about to sign" a big upgrade on Davies

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central defender.

ByDan Emery May 27, 2024

This is why Clement could forget all about the £6m-rated Brighton sensation by sealing a deal for the Ferencvaros magician to take his spot on the flank.

West Ham are now willing to pay the required sum in order to land an old transfer target of David Moyes, according to reports.

West Ham transfer rumours

West Ham ended 2023/24 sat 9th in the Premier League, missing out on any form of European football. It is now set to be a busy few months at the London Stadium. Julen Lopetegui has been brought into the dugout to replace David Moyes, and the former Wolves boss is no doubt keen to strengthen his new side.

West Ham could sign a right-footed Bowen in "explosive" sensation

He is targeted by several clubs including West Ham United.

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 1, 2024

Despite the transfer window not yet opening, the east Londoners have already been linked with a plethora of names, including the likes of FC Barcelona forward Vitor Roque and Brentford star Ivan Toney.

Elsewhere, reports last week claimed that a deal is close to being completed for Palmeiras midfielder Luis Guilherme, who looks set to become Lopetegui's first signing since succeeding Moyes in the capital. West Ham are also said to be rivalling the likes of Bayer Leverkusen for the signing of Girona's Aleix Garcia, while reports in Portugal have suggested that West Ham have held discussions over the potential signing of Jota Silva, who currently plies his trade for Vitoria Guimaraes.

West Ham now prepared to pay for past Moyes target

Now, a fresh name, or rather an old name, has emerged as a transfer target for West Ham this summer. The player in question is Filip Kostic. The winger joined Juventus in 2022 and made 33 appearances this past season, providing four assists in the process.

Kostic is under contract in Turin until 2026 but reports emerging from Italy claim that the 31-year-old is attracting interest from three Premier League clubs in the form of West Ham, Crystal Palace and Everton. And despite still being a regular for Juve, the Italian outfit will reportedly take £8m for him, which West Ham are said to be willing to pay.

The Serbian is a long-term target of the Hammers, with ex-manager David Moyes attempting to sign him on deadline day last summer, even naming him personally in a press conference. That interest has seemingly returned and while not a major signing, such a low fee for a Europe-proven talent with plenty of experience means it could be a wise deal for the Londoners to get done.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, a fellow countryman of Kostic, has shed some light on the type of player West Ham could be signing. In a previous interview, Mitrovic was asked about Angel Di Maria, but he made it clear which Juventus winger he favours.

“Di Maria is a great champion, but Kostic is my favourite winger at Juventus,” said the winger in an interview with la Gazzetta dello Sport via ilBianconero.

“Filip is one of the best wingers I’ve played with. If you put him in a position that exploits his potential, he repays you with crosses and assists. I’m not just saying it out of friendship, but from experience. I scored several goals thanks to Kostic.”

Barcelona have confirmed that goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has signed for the club after Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out with a long-term injury.

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Barcelona sign Szczesny for rest of seasonGoalkeeper has come out of retirementMoves after Barca lose Marc-Andre ter Stegen to injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Szczesny hung up his gloves in the summer but has been lured out of retirement and will spend the rest of the 2024-25 season with Barcelona. The Catalan giants have announced the Poland star has signed for the club until June 2025 after Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out with a serious knee injury.

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The Blaugrana dealt with a major injury blow last month during their La Liga fixture against Villarreal. While they comfortably thrashed the Yellow Submarines 5-1, captain and goalkeeper Ter Stegen was stretchered off the pitch in tears. Medical reports later confirmed that the Germany international had a complete rupture in the patella tendon in his right knee.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

The official statement from Barcelona read, "FC Barcelona and Wojciech Szczęsny have reached an agreement for the goalkeeper to join the Club until 30 June."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Hansi Flick's got back to winning ways with a thumping 5-0 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday. They will next face Alaves on Sunday in La Liga, with Szczesny now set to rival Inaki Pena for a starting spot in the team.

Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi’s late attack not enough for KKR

Karthik Krishnaswamy03-Oct-20204:35

Did Karthik get KKR’s batting order badly wrong?

For the third time in as many matches in Sharjah this season, both teams hit the 200 mark. The Delhi Capitals posted the highest total of the tournament so far, courtesy their hugely impressive trio of young Indian batsmen: Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. The total didn’t seem entirely safe at the innings break, considering the hitting might of the Kolkata Knight Riders. And even when it did look safe, with the Knight Riders needing 135 from 61 balls with their most dangerous hitter, Andre Russell, back in the dressing room, it wasn’t.Oh no, by no means was it safe. It came down to 78 from 24 balls – with only four wickets in hand – but as has been the case so often this season, especially on this ground, there’s always a downpour of sixes to come. From somewhere.Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi walloped 47 runs from overs 17 and 18, and suddenly the chase was blown wide open. But luck and the skill of Anrich Nortje swung the game back the Capitals’ way. Only five runs came off the 19th over, which also brought the wicket of Morgan, leaving the Knight Riders far too much to do in the 20th, even though they knew it would be bowled by one of the Capitals’ weaker bowlers. Needing 26 off six balls from Marcus Stoinis, they simply didn’t have enough batting left in the tank.Strategies for six-hittingBoth teams made selections that reflected the unique challenge of playing in Sharjah. The Knight Riders left out the flighty wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav and played Tripathi to give themselves depth and more leeway to go hard with the bat. The Capitals brought back R Ashwin, who had recovered after dislocating his shoulder in their season-opener, and left out the left-arm spinner Axar Patel – with three left-handers in the Knight Riders top six – and also subbed out Ishant Sharma, a powerplay specialist with the ball, for Harshal Patel, a slower-ball merchant who can hit the long ball.Quick off the blocksSent in, the Capitals raced to 57 in their Powerplay, losing only Shikhar Dhawan for 26 off 16. It was already evident that the bowlers in this game were simply around for damage limitation, with almost no margin for error: Shaw hung back to pull and cut marginally short balls through and over the infield, and Dhawan plonked forward and slog-swept Sunil Narine for back-to-back sixes. The wicket came in the sixth over, Dhawan miscuing a sweep off the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy.Shreyas Iyer hammers one down the ground•BCCIIyer, Pant join in the funThe contours of this game were evident when Andre Russell bowled the seventh and ninth overs of the Capitals innings as if he were bowling the 18th and 20th: pitching right up in the blockhole or hitting the deck with shorter lengths, offering nothing in between. Only seven runs came off those two overs, a minor miracle.In between and thereafter, the Capitals batsmen found the boundaries with unerring frequency. Rather than slow down post-powerplay, Shaw and Iyer accelerated, putting on 73 at 10.68 per over – Shaw and Dhawan had added 56 at 9.60 – and some of their hitting – notably a chipped six from Shaw over extra-cover off Shivam Mavi, and a flicked six over midwicket from Iyer off Kamlesh Nagarkoti – was effortless to the point of being dispiriting to any bowler who might have been watching.The exit of Shaw in the 13th over brought Pant to the crease, and he took eight balls to get his eye in before hitting Shivam Mavi for three fours in the 16th over, the pick of them a slap over extra-cover off a short ball slanting away from his hitting arc. That opened the floodgates: from that over on, the Capitals made 77 in 30 balls.This period showcased the best of Pant’s incredible hand-eye coordination, and also Iyer’s ability to move around the crease and play with the bowler’s lines and angles – such as when Pat Cummins sent down two marginally off-target yorkers in the 17th over and saw them tickled past short fine leg and flayed between mid-off and extra-cover – and to hit sixes at will off spinners. Chakravarthy went for 20 in the 19th over, and conceded 30 off 9 balls to Iyer overall.Russell, carted all over by Pant in the 18th, finished the innings with a tight 20th, giving up just seven runs despite new man Shimron Hetmyer hitting his third ball for a six. It left the Knight Riders 229 to get, but the Capitals wouldn’t have been able to say if they had enough.The promotionSunil Narine has failed to get going so far this season, and today brought another early dismissal – he swung and missed at Nortje in the second over, having exposed all three stumps. With Tripathi in the side, and much of his earlier success in the IPL having arrived at the top of the order, there was a feeling that he might open with either Narine or Shubman Gill demoted, but that didn’t happen. Either way, with the target what it was, it was in the Knight Riders’ best interests to have Narine open and hopefully come off.The Knight Riders were there or thereabouts through the rest of the powerplay, finding the boundary often – Nitish Rana slog-swept Ashwin for a pair of sixes in the third over, and Gill used the open spaces in the outfield to pick up a four and a six off Nortje in the fourth without quite finding his timing – but not quite often enough to prevent the required rate from climbing steeply. At the six-over mark, they were 59 for 1 – two runs better off than the Capitals at the same stage, but with a lot more catching up left to do.When Amit Mishra, looping his legbreaks tantalisingly but always somehow landing it just short of the batsmen’s hitting arc, conceded just two runs in his first seven balls and dismissed Gill, the Knight Riders needed 157 from 71 balls. For the second time in two matches, they sent Andre Russell in far earlier than usual.Eoin Morgan hit three sixes in a row off Kagiso Rabada•BCCIThe slowdownIn the Knight Riders’ previous game, the move to promote Russell worked in an indirect sort of way, forcing the Rajasthan Royals to bring back Jofra Archer early to try and get him out, and leaving less of Archer for their other superstar hitter Morgan to face.Here again, Russell’s entry brought the opposition’s best fast bowler back into the attack for the 10th over, and a gladiatorial contest ensued between him and Kagiso Rabada. Dot, slower ball flat-batted for four, dot, straight six. Russell could have seen out the rest of the over, but he swung hard at a short ball and top-edged a catch to third man. Rabada had won the contest, and seemingly the match too.The next three overs only brought two boundaries and a pair of back-to-back wickets courtesy Harshal Patel’s variations. Then Nortje removed Pat Cummins in the 14th over, leaving the Knight Riders 107 to get off 39 balls. This was over, surely.The finishMorgan can be uncertain against the short ball, but that almost works in his favour sometimes, because he always gets a quick, short one first up. He was in perfect position to pull his first ball, from Nortje, for six, and he was away.But the Knight Riders were nowhere near close to their target, and Harshal’s slower ball – a genuine weapon with its dipping trajectory and significant deviation off the deck – allowed them only six runs from the 15th over. But there was a bit of luck to come – a not-quite-middled slog from Morgan off Rabada in the 16th over burst through the leaping fielder’s hands at deep midwicket and over the boundary for six. And the damage done by Rana to Ashwin’s figures and Mishra’s ring finger – he hurt it in a failed attempt to take a caught and bowled in the seventh over – left the Capitals using their sixth bowler, Stoinis, in the 17th over.Tripathi lined up Stoinis’ medium pace and clattered him for three sixes and a four in five balls, clearing his front leg, spotting variations of pace quickly and ensuring he didn’t lose his shape, and striking cleanly through the line of the ball. Suddenly, the Knight Riders were back in it, almost. And then Rabada, amazingly, went for 6, 6, 6 off the first three balls of the 18th – Morgan muscling a slower ball and a full-toss over the leg-side boundary to follow a fortuitous top-edged hook. Tripathi then drove the last ball of the over past the bowler and away from mid-off’s reach, and the Knight Riders needed 31 off the last 12 balls.It was still a challenging task in absolute terms, and Morgan and Tripathi weren’t able to get Nortje away, partly because he didn’t miss his lengths by that much of a margin even when he did miss them, and partly because their luck ran out. Rather than clearing the deep fielder as he had done on earlier occasions without really being in control, Morgan pulled Nortje straight to the man off the third ball. The rest of the over brought only five runs.Tripathi sliced Stoinis over point at the start of the final over to bring the equation down to 22 off 5, but the next ball proved unhittable, a dipping yorker that sneaked under his flailing bat. And that was that.

Virat Kohli has scores of 100, 84 and 68 in his last three games against the Knight Riders

Sreshth Shah11-Oct-20207:36

Has Chris Morris fixed RCB’s death bowling issues?

Big pictureTwo teams on an upward surge meet on Monday when Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Dinesh Karthik’s Kolkata Knight Riders, with both men hitting half-centuries in their respective last outings.Kohli has returned to form after a slow start to IPL 2020, with an unbeaten 90 against the Chennai Super Kings. That has helped the Royal Challengers stay inside the top four despite Aaron Finch, Devdutt Padikkal and AB de Villiers losing steam over their last few matches. Washington Sundar’s bowling in the powerplay has been another plus, and the addition of Chris Morris has added experience to their pace unit.ALSO READ: KKR vs RCB Fantasy Pick – Make Kohli captain and Morgan vice-captainThe Knight Riders have had many players chipping in with match-winning performances, starting with Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi with the bat and Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Prasidh Krishna with the ball. But there are question marks over the West Indies duo of Narine and Andre Russell, and how the Knight Riders navigate through that situation could decide if they can complete a hat-trick of wins or if the Royal Challengers go past them on the points table.In the newsThe Knight Riders’ most experienced overseas players, Russell and Narine, have given the team management something to ponder about. Against the Kings XI Punjab on Saturday, Russell injured his knee while fielding – after which he did not bowl – while Narine was warned for a suspect bowling action. If he errs again, he will be banned from bowling this season altogether.Likely XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers (wk), 5 Gurkeerat Singh Mann, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Navdeep Saini, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt, wk), 6 Andre Russell/Tom Banton, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Shivam Mavi, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun ChakravarthyStrategy punts The Knight Riders could bowl spin with the new ball because Finch has struggled against that style of bowling this season. He has faced spin in five innings and has been dismissed four times, while averaging just 14.8. They could perhaps even play Kuldeep Yadav to target Finch first up: across all T20s, Finch averages just 6.3 against the left-arm wristspinner, having been dismissed four times in five innings by him. The Royal Challengers could save Yuzvendra Chahal for Eoin Morgan, and ask the legspinner to bowl slower to him than usual. Morgan loves spinners who bowl quicker at him, and the numbers back that up. Morgan hasn’t been dismissed yet this season by spin bowling at over 90kph, but averages just 5.70 when spinners slow it down. Stats and trivia With 223 runs, Kohli has scored the most runs among non-openers in IPL 2020. He is one among three non-openers to average over 50. Since 2018, Kohli’s best numbers in the IPL have come against the Knight Riders: most runs (283), highest average (94.3), highest strike-rate (154) and the most fifty-plus scores (three). His last three scores against the Knight Riders are 100, 84 and 68. This season, AB de Villiers has averaged 53 when the Royal Challengers have batted first, but only 24.55 while chasing. His strike-rate fluctuates too: 189 in the first innings compared to 144 in the second. The Knight Riders have won three games batting first this season. The last time they achieved this feat was back in 2014 where they won the title.

Celtic are looking to snap up an in-form star for a cut-price fee during the 2024 summer transfer window.

Celtic transfer rumours

2023/24 was another largely dominant season for Celtic. They once again beat Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title and clinched the Scottish FA Cup. Their displays in the League Cup – a second-round exit – and their Champions League showing were by no means impressive, but it was still a largely solid season for the Hoops, who continue to be the thrusting force in Scottish football.

Kelleher signs, £8m star bought: What Rodgers' dream Celtic XI could be

A look at what the Hoops team could be next season if they have a successful summer transfer window.

ByDan Emery Jun 15, 2024

However, as is the case with any top team, Celtic will need to keep improving and freshening things up if they are to maintain their place as the best team in Scotland. To do this, Brendan Rodgers and co. are seemingly looking to make a few new additions to their squad during the 2024 summer transfer window.

The Hoops are said to be one of a number of teams interested in a possible swoop to sign Bristol City centre-forward Tommy Conway. With Joe Hart having hung up his boots at the close of this past campaign, Celtic are in the market for a new goalkeeper and are preparing a 'formal approach' to sign Newcastle United shot-stopper Martin Dubravka this summer.

Elsewhere, Celtic have been credited with an interest in Salernitana defender Flavius Daniliuc, who spent his formative years at Real Madrid. Manager Brendan Rodgers is also said to be 'desperate' to sign loan star Adam Idah from Norwich City after his impressive stint with the club this year.

Celtic eye cut-price move for player who scored more than Maeda

Now, a fresh name has been linked with a move to Celtic Park. The player in question is Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan. Sky Sports are reporting that the champions are 'keeping tabs' on the 26-year-old as he prepares to enter the final year of his current contract.

McCowan's contract situation means Celtic could land the winger in a cut-price deal, as while he enjoyed a stellar 2023/24 campaign, Dundee will likely have to sell him this summer or risk losing him for nothing this time next year. McCowan was one of Dundee's standout stars as they finished 6th in the league, and losing him will no doubt be a blow for the Dark Blues.

However, his arrival could also be bad news for Celtic's Daizen Maeda. Both players generally operate in the same position for their respective sides, and after McCowan dominated Maeda in the SPFL this past term, Rodgers may opt to bench the 26-year-old in place of his new signing if he is utilised in an attacking-midfield role.

Stats

McCowan

Maeda

Goals

10

6

Goals per game

0.3

0.2

Big chances missed

3

12

Assists

5

3

Big chances created

9

5

Wrexham are reportedly in talks to join the Welsh League Cup, and reports have shed light on the Welsh Football Association's stance on the matter.

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Wrexham hoping to join Welsh League CupWinner reaches UEFA Conference LeagueWelsh FA on board with plansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Reports from earlier this month claimed Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney-owned Wrexham are in discussions to enter the Welsh League Cup, alongside the likes of Cardiff City, Newport County and Swansea City. This move could open a pathway for Wrexham to qualify for Europe, as the winner of the Welsh League Cup secures a spot in the UEFA Conference League.

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According to the Daily Mail, the Football Association of Wales is backing the proposal. Influential members of the FAW believe that adding Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham to the Welsh League Cup would boost investment throughout Welsh football. Wrexham, with their growing fanbase thanks to Reynolds and McElhenney's support – especially in the United States – would likely bring significant attention to the competition, increasing its visibility and appeal.

DID YOU KNOW?

However, there’s a trade-off in the rules for the Welsh clubs should the move come to fruition. To participate in the Welsh League Cup and pursue European qualification through that route, Wrexham and the other clubs would have to forfeit any chance of qualifying for Europe via English competitions.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

For the moment, the Red Dragons can do nothing but focus on continuing their good start to the League One season as they hope to achieve their third-straight promotion to the Championship.

Bukayo Saka has been ruled out of England's Nations League game against Finland on Sunday due to injury.

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Saka out of England squadWill return to Arsenal for further assessmentCurtin Jones did not travel to FinlandFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Three Lions have confirmed that Saka has been omitted from their travelling squad for the trip to Helsinki. The winger will return to Arsenal's set-up to recover from the hamstring injury that he suffered during the team's 2-1 loss to Greece earlier this week. It was also confirmed that Liverpool's Curtis Jones has stayed back in England due to a personal commitment.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT ENGLAND SAID

A statement on the England men's team's official website read: "Curtis Jones and Bukayo Saka will not travel to Finland. Saka has returned to Arsenal for further assessment having been substituted during the second-half of Thursday night’s match against Greece.

"Liverpool’s Jones remains in England owing to a personal commitment. A squad of 22 will now fly to Helsinki on Saturday afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Nations League fixture."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Saka's injury comes as a huge blow for the Gunners, who have made a strong start to the new season and currently find themselves third in the Premier League table tied on points with Manchester City and one point behind leaders Liverpool.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arsenal will now further assess their star player's condition and start working on his recovery. They will be next seen in action on October 19 as they face Bournemouth away from home.